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Replay: Best of the Week on Patriots.com Radio Thu Oct 03 - 04:00 PM | Sun Oct 06 - 10:40 AM

From the Hart: My top-20 big board

We're barely more than 24 hours away from the start of what could be a very interesting 2012 NFL Draft.

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We know the first two picks, but after that it seems like almost anything could happen.

Trades could come early and often. Or not at all. Names could rise or drop (at least in terms of what we're expecting), at the drop of a hat.

So buckle your seatbelt and get ready for the fun. And be sure to tune in to PFW in Progress on Patriots.com for a full night of live radio coverage of every pick, trade and bad decision made by all 32 NFL teams.

But until then, hold yourself over with my top-20 big board for what I've decided is a pretty lackluster class of first-round NFL Draft talent. Seems telling that I started to struggle to put together a top-10 after the No. 6 slot. I think there are three truly elite prospects in this class. And a handful others of true top-10 talent. After that there are a lot of guys with a lot of potential – potential to be stars or potential to be huge draft disappointments.

Looking at my list, and the lack of sure-fire, blue-chip talents, I think I tended to lean on the side of potential and guys with higher upside. Time will tell.

Enjoy.

    1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford - Top spot thanks to value of quarterback position.
    1. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama - A future superstar and All-Pro.
    1. Matt Kalil, T, USC - Plug him in, watch him protect your passer and collect All-Pro awards.
    1. Robert Griffin III, QB Baylor - Griffin has a huge upside, but some risk.
    1. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama - Based purely on ability, not draft-ability.
    1. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State - Not a Hall of Famer, but will make plays.
    1. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU - See above.
    1. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State - Big, athletic, versatile – lot to like.
    1. David DeCastro, G, Stanford - A guard in the top-10 shows weakness of draft class.
    1. Stephen Gilmore, CB, South Carolina - Solid all around.
    1. Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois - One-year wonder with huge upside, and downside.
    1. Stephon Hill, WR, Georgia Tech - Huge upside, huge downside.
    1. Brandon Weeden, QB Oklahoma State - Old but good and NFL ready.
    1. Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Syracuse - Solid, mature, versatile prospect for the edge.
    1. Riley Reiff, T, Iowa - Another guy who's skills would rate much lower in better draft class.
    1. Mark Barron, S, Alabama - Solid but unspectacular as a playmaker.
    1. Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina - Can get to the passer despite size/lack of position.
    1. Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor - Solid all-around deep threat.
    1. Cordy Glenn, T/G, Georgia - Great experience, versatility and potential.
  1. Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College - Sure-fire tackle machine.

Best of the rest: Michael Floyd, Quinton Coples, Don'ta Hightower, Courtney Upshaw, Michael Brockers, Trumaine Johnson, Rueben Randle, Nick Perry.

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